Description
Book SynopsisThe regulation and flow of information continues to have a critical impact upon how people live their lives and the way society functions. In recent times, disinformation and privacy violation have become the ‘information pollution’ of the 21st century.
This book explores ways and means of protecting the ‘information environment’ by drawing upon four theories of contemporary environmentalism: welfare economics, the commons, ecology, and public choice theory. Welfare economics highlights the need to focus on costs (as well as benefits) when evaluating regulatory structures. The commons encourages queries about the validity of propertisation. Ecology speaks to the importance of diversity and resilience. And public choice theory hazards against the regulatory effect of concentrated interests. The lessons from each inspire the proposed information environmental governance framework.
By neatly capturing the metaphorical relationship between the physical environment and the information environment, Robert Cunningham explores progressive regulatory pathways for the digital age. This book will be a thought-provoking read for scholars and students with an interest in intellectual property or the regulation of information.
Trade Review‘This thoughtful and deeply analytical text examines in detail what the author, Robert Cunningham, describes as ‘the nexus between the physical environment and the information environment’ and explores the ways in which ‘environmental analytical frameworks’ might also apply to the information environment. . . IP theorists in particular, as well as environmental lawyers and academics will appreciate the insights revealed and the often new and original avenues of thought which Cunningham opens up to scrutiny as a result of his careful research. Certainly this book deserves a place in the well read practitioner’s professional library.’ -- Phillip Taylor MBE and Elizabeth Taylor, The Barrister Magazine
‘Professor Cunningham’s first title is an articulate analogy between the physical and informational environments, which provides a thorough application of ecological and environmentalist discourse to the information environment.’ -- Catherine Pocock, Queen Mary Journal of Intellectual Property
Table of ContentsContents: 1. Information Environmentalism 2. Information Paradox and Public Goods 3. Externalities and Monopolies 4. Information Commons 5. Tragedy of (Ignoring) the Information Semicommons 6. The Social Ecology of Information Environmental Governance 7. Should the Information Commons have Standing? 8. Rational Truths, Reasonable Arguments and Rhetorical Imagination 9. Public Choice Theory and Social Production 10. Constitutional Economics and the Separation of (Economic) Power 11. Control, Alt, Delete: Towards an Information Environmental Governance Framework Index
